Twelve hardy TrailBlazers with antifreeze in their veins braved the cold, for the second week in a row, to hike the Big Bluff Trail near Ponca. With Linda in the lead we tackled this unusual 5.5 mile trail. It was really chilly, but sunny at the outset, so we were all bundled up, but we warmed up once we got going. 

Conventional wisdom indicates that we would hike upward to reach a high bluff, but on this trail we actually had to trek downward to reach this majestic bluff with the narrow ledge that overlooks the Buffalo River. After a gradual descent, we suddenly reached the towering wall of the bluff. Once we passed through the wooded area we reached the bare ledge and had a fantastic view of the river and the surrounding bluffs as we carefully walked along. We spent some time exploring and then found a sunny, sheltered area on the ledge to eat lunch. In places the ledge is narrow, so it could be scary for anyone who does not have a head for heights. 

Since we had hiked down to reach the bluff, the laws of Physics dictated that we had to hike up on the return trip. The ascent is gradual, but it is a fairly steady climb with a total elevation gain of 1,000 feet. In any case, the warriors from last week’s trek felt that this one was easier. As unscientific as it might seem, Yours Truly thinks that the return trip is longer. Maybe that is because it is uphill and the oxygen masks did not deploy when she lost cabin pressure! In any case, it turned out to be a beautiful day and we had a great time.